An imaginary champion in Athol, Mass

The bikes I dreamed about were not being made in the Schwinn factory in America, but were designed and manufactured in Italy. Eddy Merckx, a famous bike racer of the 1970s, was having bikes hand-built by Ugo de Rosa in Milan, a bike-building legend in his own right. I would pretend that I too, like Eddy, was racing my bike for the final win in the Triple Crown of Cycling. A feat never before accomplished, I was about to win the Giro d’Italla, the Tour de France, and the Road World Cycling Championship all in one season. The crowd went wild as I flew from the maple-lined streets of town through winding pastureland roads with giant white pines standing like gendarmes at every intersection, and finally across the uptown metal girder bridge to the finish line in the common across from the Congregational church. By the end of his career, Merckx, a native of Belgium, had become a national hero and an international cycling superstar. In 1974, Eddy gave his winning De Rosa to the Pope, who prominently displayed it in the Chapel of the Madonna del Ghisallo in Rome, a church dedicated to bicycle racing. I walked over and triumphantly leaned my Schwinn against the steps of the Congregational church, feeling satisfied.     

Merckx winning the Tour De France 1971

I'm talking about a revolution!

I'm talking about a revolution!

by Chris Fellows

E-bike? I was skeptical at first.  Just the thought of riding my bike with a little help from an external power source made me pause and wonder, “Is this the right thing?”  I consider myself a core Mountain Bike Rider, jeez, I have been riding trails in Tahoe since 1986 when I bought my first real mountain bike, a Bridgestone MB 1 from Steve at the Village Ski Loft in Incline Village. He was very informative and promised that I would enjoy the Flume Trail more than ever with this advanced technology. I remember my first ride being revolutionary compared to the antiquated mule of a bike I had been riding before.

Bridgestone MB1

 I justified the purchase of the MB1 with the claims of it being, a great around town transportation, increased fitness from riding more, and a fun way to get into the backcountry and enjoy the solitude of Lake Tahoe. I do remember getting dirty looks from died in the wool hikers who were perturbed that I was on their hiking trail with my bike, but it never resulted in any real confrontation. On this new ride, I became very fond of the speeds I could reach on the descents because of the improved suspension and stiff prestige frame tubing. The shifting was easy and reliable which helped me navigate the technical up-hills and tricky terrain. The $850.00 I spent on the bike was my entire IRS refund for that year. Thanks, Uncle Sam!

Specialized Levo E-Bike 

So here I am 30 years later listening to 29-year-old Russell from Paco’s Bike and Ski in Truckee sell me on the virtues of peddle assisted mountain bikes.  My first thought was, is he trying to sell me a dirt moped? As I patiently listen I begin to understand the big picture he was describing.  He began talking my language.  He mentions Northwood Boulevard the hill I have to climb with my bike to get home.  Then there is the bit about a reduction in my carbon footprint by using my bike more and my car less.  Then the advantage of tripling my riding mileage, adding length to my rides without the fatigue or the wear and tear on my 57-year-old body. That part really got my attention.  He tells me that Specialized Levo was built from a well thought out cross-country design and added peddle assist.  Not the other way around.  After an hour of his low key sales pitch, I loaded the 42-pound Specialized Levo onto my bike rack for a test run. The shop mechanics smugly watched to see if the loading the heavy bike would bend me or my rack first.  They were surprised when it did neither.  Off I went headed toward a ride I have done many times and I knew very well.  I thought this will be the best test because I had ridden this trail two nights before on my regular unassisted Mountain Bike.  

As I unloaded, I looked around nervously to see if anyone was watching.  I quickly pushed the on- button and launched turbo style into the woods.  The wind blew through my hair, but how could it be, I was peddling uphill.  As I climbed and began cornering uphill it felt strangely like the pull from gravity going downhill.  I was actually tipping and leaning the bike into uphill turns.  That was a new sensation.  At least for me.  I am sure there are professional riders that regularly generate 400 watts of power just with their legs, but I was riding like Lance Armstrong on POE.  Wow, all the benefit of performance enhancing drugs without the side effect or the stigma.

I was soon at the top and stoked to let it fly.  As I dropped into the first turn I felt the tires bite as I progressively leaned it into the banked turn, as the shocks engaged I thought,” hmm very much the feel of my Stumpjumper 29er” and that’s a good thing.  The puzzle was, how could a 42-pound e-bike react like a 28-pound carbon framed Stumpy?  I am not a bike engineer or even a mechanic, but the geometry, the breaking, the shock set up and the on command seat post produced a run that was exhilarating …, no, life-changing.  I rolled over the technical sections with the ease of my other bike but felt more traction from the 4-inch tires.  As I rode the grin on my face got bigger and as a ski teacher, I remembered when the first fat skis came out and changed the off-piste ski game forever.  This bike is going to change everything I thought.

My mileage began to grow exponentially and my vision opened as I looked for the next hill to climb and my internal giggling became audible as I began my descents.  I was chewing up vertical like the top riders of the Leadville 100.  What was most astonishing was that I wasn’t tired of the amount of riding I was doing and my focus wasn’t compromised. I was as clear-headed as when I started.  That alone made me think that the safety margin was bigger, now I was more awake and alert able to adjust to changes in the terrain with the alacrity of a much younger man, or more rested me.  The sun got lower in the sky and after almost 3 hours of riding, I knew I would need to head back to the car. I was worried that my battery would die and I would be left pushing up the hills I had ridden down.  I reached over and pushed the small button to the Evo setting to conserve my battery.  This would give me enough assist to climb out of the valley and over to my car.  Peddling a heavy bike is not a deal killer, but having a little help is always nice.  What I found out later is that Specialized has developed an app for your phone that lets you punch in your ride and it automatically rations your battery, assisted by Google Earth.  

As I drove back to the bike shop I concocted a story that would settle my frugal New England mind over the sticker shock, $3900.00. I also knew my wife would question my sanity when she saw yet another bike added to my growing quiver. I told Russel at the bike shop I wanted the bike to lower my carbon footprint, but the real reasons were the incredible fun factor and the feeling of human growth hormone. By the time I got home my story was calculated into a very convincing formula. Here it is: When an e-bike replaces a car the e-bike offsets 1,550 grams of global-warming hydrocarbons; 1460 grams of carbon monoxide; and 770 grams of nitrogen oxides for every 500 miles ridden. Plus I could take newbie riders out on equal playing ground and I would ride my old bike while they e-biked. My understanding wife got it and knew it was a great alternative to a midlife crisis car or something else.

Steve at the Village Ski Loft told me that I was buying the state of the art technology. In 1986 that Bridgestone MB1 was a top-tier mountain bike designed for a new generation of cross-country riders.  Who could have predicted that 30 years later a relatively small battery attached to an expertly designed mountain bike, could extend ones riding fun factor, extend ride milages, increase riding hours, help with climate change and increase the safety margin too?

      

Skiing at the end of the earth- Chris Fellows

Persistent, low-level uneasiness  has crept into my psyche over the last couple of seasons. I can’t put my finger on the exact reasons for it, but many people I work with are feeling the same thing. The obvious and most popular explanation for our aggregate angst, is that the climate has changed and the consistently inconsistent, sliding surface called snow that we have trusted for years is now drastically changing, literally under our feet. We are truly standing at the edge of the earth. At least it feels that way. As if something we’ve always taken for granted, winter, might disappear like, should I say, melting snow.

The way people talk and the things they say tell a much deeper story about our collective view of the impending future. People are speaking a dialect of uncertainty, as observed by the use of the one-word question at the end of every sentence: Right? Why punctuate the end of a sentence with the word right unless you were subconsciously insecure about what was about to happen next. Its nice to have a little reassurance in unpredictable times, so just add right to everything, someone will agree eventually. 

Every day I hear my fellow West Coast snow sliders say words to the effect: Snow isn't what it used to be … Another pineapple express headed our way … Snow line is going to be above 7500 feet … Another big layoff coming up after the holiday … We are in a serious drought for the next  several years. This was just another bad year. Right?

Are we experiencing the symptoms of universal group mental depression, or are we all deeply nostalgic for the old winters? Or, could we, like Plains farmers during the ’30s, be sensing and interpreting signs that presage a dramatic, Dust Bowl-like danger ahead?

It’s ironic that many of the Dust Bowl refugees settled here in the West, and once again mechanism of  climate are causing some folks to look elsewhere to make a living.  A male instructor in his 30s from Snoqualmie Pass in Washington State left the area in January due to the low snowfall and found a job 3,000 miles across the country at Sunday River in Maine. He was happy with the choice, but realized that the bitter, Polar Vortex-induced cold temps and high winds made life as an instructor challenging. It wasn’t the most idyllic snow country environment to teach in. >  

Change has always been a part of our professional work environment. The seasonality of it all adds to the freshness, and the cycle of birth-death-rebirth has always been invigorating —but recently, Mother Nature seems to be cycleing at an alarming rate. The average freezing level—the elevation above sea level at which the temperature reaches 32 degrees F— is rising higher and higher, that's a fact. But how will we respond to the challenges ahead for enjoying our precious lifestyle and making a living in the snow sports industry?

An instructor who works at a resort close to my home says, “The changes in the climate are affecting our livelihoods, Our mountain had a particularly hard year. There wasn't much work for part-timers, which translates to less money in our pockets. It’s been rough. I also rely on my skiing to keep me healthy. I've gained weight due to the lack of snow. It seems like my healthy, skinny ski body was a flash in the pan, one of those things you look back on and say, those were the days."

The rhythms of the West Coast winter have shifted from somewhat predictable deep Sierra Nevada dumps to wild, aberrant  swings in temperature, wind and ever-higher snow lines. Driving into Squaw Valley this winter, one could see a clear white- to- brown line ring the 7,500- foot contour mark around the entire valley. On days when the snow fell above the line, hoards of pent up pass- holders  bottlenecked  the entrance to the Funitel. They lined lined up like lab rats to tapping the bar for their reward for staying in the maze. Others had booked trips out of the area or just chose to drive off the hill to bike and play golf somewhere else in the unseasonably warm temperatures.

But what about the instructors who have committed to a  resort for the season, who were left out at a soggy lineup like laundry left on the line during a rain storm by an in-attentive housekeeper.  ? Instructors who in frustration would literally say to their students, “ I am not sure what you expect to learn today, the skiing is terrible, and  it’s due to global warming!”

I was told this story  by a friend who manages a school in theWest. I asked him how he handled the situation, and he gave me a one- word answer, : REFUND! That’s a cuss word in the modern resort business paradigm.

There is a real sense among our ski instructor ground troops, that we are losing our battle against climate change as it relates to the delicate strip of atmosphere called snow country. A mother who raised her children skiing on the slopes of a low-elevation municipal nonprofit resort feels that she has been trying to out-ski climate change. But, climate change is gaining on her. The situation grates on her psyche, even during the off-season. She says, “I think I could get into another sport, at least I’d physically feel better, but I keep thinking that when the snow goes, the water goes, too, so how long will it be possible to have a life here in the Truckee Meadows that resembles what it was like in the ’70s, ’80s or even ’90s?”

The ski industry is trying its best to put on a happy face with promises of bigger better expansions of facilities and  never before offered services, but until we see a drastic shift in the weather patterns we will be funneled into smaller patches of a thinner layer of snow, higher and higher toward the mountain summit until we eventually find ourselves skiing at the edge of the earth., . Right?

More or Less Complicated?

What do you really need?

In 1945, the average home size in the USA was 960 square feet.  By 2010, this number had risen to 2140 square feet.

What changed?

Revolutions in production efficiency have meant that just about everyone can afford to have just about everything they want. At first this seemed wonderful, until we discovered that our homes, and our garages, were filling up with so much stuff. Suddenly our lives felt less spacious, more complicated, less free and less fun.

Our company philosophy is that a better way to live is to invest in owning fewer things that function to perfection, and that last a very long time. This way we get to enjoy, and fall in love with, the things we own.

— Paul Budnitz

Northern Sierra Micro Adventure

Sierra City River Cabin Blog…

Thoreau’s Micro Adventure

"Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."

— Thoreau

On vacation we expect amenities, but if these amenities are distractions or for amusement only they end up getting in the way of our FUN!

—

Steve agreed that he needed a 3 day break from his anesthesiology practice in the Bay Area to wander through the woods on his bike and challenge his focus on some of the more technical portions of the little traveled trails (we didn’t see a soul in 3 days of riding). The single mindedness of a mountain bike ride, ski or climb puts us in a state of crystal clear awareness that is often hard to achieve or gets muted somehow in our rush through a get it all done with our 21st century schedule. The only burden we experienced out on our daily rides was the need to stop and eat to refuel our muscles. We soon began to discover life's true essential needs: to stay watered, fed, breathing, upright on our bikes and get a solid night’s rest, not necessarily in that order. After a long ride the river cabin was a welcome haven where we could recover properly for the next day’s journey. It is amazing how much you appreciate a hot shower or bath, glass of cold water, and a cup of hot tea at the end of an active day in the outdoors.

Putting yourself out there is the first step and is the hardest to initiate, that’s why having a well-stocked cabin with healthy food, warm and comfortable atmosphere and good company to share experiences with is important. You don’t have to be a gourmet cook to prepare a simple tasty meal, I find that if I hit the grocery store - and load up on easy-to-prepare vegetables, hummus, pesto, quinoa, rice, sea salt, olives, eggs, chicken, fish, turkey bacon, pita chips, popcorn, green tea, ginger, oatmeal, corn flakes, pineapple, peaches, apples and chocolate - you can keep the troops pretty happy.

Being free of distractions gives you mental space to appreciate the landscape that surrounds you. The sounds of the river frame a unique orchestrated blend of bird calls, summer crickets, a distance coyote yelp and the whoosh of the west wind pushing the tops of pines to the east.

The chance to settle into a new or old environment opens opportunities to move in a new rhythm, with your surroundings. The "lost weekend" at the river cabin is a chance to do this, it’s a mountain bike ride that winds through golden aspens, a lazy wander along a mountain river, ski tracks following coyote prints down a pristine powder snow slope, or just reclining in a swinging hammock staring at the wispy clouds above. A place like this can spur mental transition and shift if one is open to the total experience

And so with this 3-day/1-client escape, we launched our concept. It included mountain biking and just relaxing in a quiet and unrushed and noncompetitive environment. If this summer pilot worked we would plan to expand to backcountry skiing in winter and kayaking / rafting in the spring.

To slow down and take in the landscape of wild undeveloped rivers, jagged peaks, wooded old growth pine forests, alpine meadows, aspen groves, avalanche paths, miners’ cabins, fire tower lookouts, turn of the century stone walls, animal and Indian paths, all accessible by foot, bike, raft or kayak on friendly trails and flowing rivers. All this is the landscape of our micro-adventure.

To escape via an expeditionary experience has been woven into our cultural psyche, but to micro-adventure based in a comfortable cabin setting condenses the experience, but gives one time to look around for more than just firewood or a tent platform. Acclimatizing versus conquering is what we are trying to facilitate with our new river cabin micro adventure.

I have been on big, expensive expeditions that included days of logistics, multi-day plane rides, cancellations, porter hiring, luggage loosing, permit getting, partner issues, illness, political delays, weather problems, food incidents, occasionally, an elephant in the middle of the road not to mention the hefty price tag usually paid with maxed out credit cards. Those trips are some of the fondest memories I have, but a condescended version of the big expedition can be just as compelling and a lot cheaper.

Steve and I had no time schedule or rules to play by. We simply wanted to immerse ourselves for three days in mountain biking, solitude, good food and deathlike sleep. That’s it!

We stuck to these 5 suggestions remembering that nothing was set in stone:

1. Use all your body fuel until nothing is left in the tank, new fuel is on its way!

2. Standings and rankings don’t matter.

3. Do something everyday that makes your heart beat faster.

4. Spend most of the day outside.

5. Once you have committed to being all in let the experience rinse societal residue from body, mind, and spirit.

Being in the micro adventure zone is addicting and I try to plan at least one of these a season or four a year.  This summer I was fortunate enough to explore a new area in Chile called Corralco.  The next blog will reveal one of the grandest micro adventures I have done to date.  Stay tuned!

Details....Micro-MTB  adventure 89 north

The lodge is located in Sierra City, CA along the North Yuba River with the Sierra Buttes in view (the Buttes are elevation 8,600’). The Lodge sits within 15 miles of 45 alpine lakes. This heavily forested area makes it one of the largest carbon sinks in North America. A class 5 + rapid: Love's Falls takes out just 1 mile down the road and the Pacific Crest Trail passes less than 2 miles north of us. Downieville, home of the classic downhill mountain bike race is 12 miles down stream. The Downieville Downhill is one of the premier mountain bike races in the United States.

With new construction -completed in 2006 - this cabin is the perfect combination of escape, comfort and adventure. Call Chris or Jenny about renting it or booking a micro-adventure.

530.582.4772 chris@skiNASTC.com

Thanks for reading!

My top 10 runs in St. Anton, Austria

Chris Fellow’s Top Ten Off- Piste Ski Runs in St. Anton, Austria 


 I have been entranced with St. Anton, Austria since 1988 when I first attended the PSIA National Academy in Austria. I had never seen such vast ski terrain or mountains as big. The skiing opportunities are endless and the culture is ski centric with years of history and national pride in the Tyrol region. I have made a pilgrimage to St. Anton regularly since then and have always returned home with new and exciting stories and plans for the next trip.

 For more information on this years NASTC / St. Anton, Austria experience: http://www.skinastc.com/all-courses/271

 In a nut shell St. Anton has 4 major areas: Galzig, Rendl, Gampen/Kapall and Valuga. The surrounding resorts of Zurs, Stuben and Lech are easily accessible by skiing, bus and lift system. These areas also offer a variety of exciting off-piste objectives. St. Anton is the largest, but can get crowded on the groomed slopes during the high season. When there are crowds on the more popular runs, there is even more reason to venture out of the main stream of traffic.

 Here are some of my favorite off-piste ski runs in St. Anton:

 1. Bachseite- This is a north facing wall of steep off piste skiing that is easily accessed from the Galzig lift. It drops directly into the easy skiing down route number 4 SteiBbachtal (the Happy Valley). Bachseite is very popular and can get tracked up quickly on a powder day. Best to get there early while avalanche control is being done on the upper mountain. Bachseite is the true mother ship of the Galzig area and a great place to train for steep descents. Lifts- Galzig, Zammermoos, Osthangbahn, Tanzboden Difficulty-Moderate Vertical- 800M

 2. Mattun- You can access Mattun either by The top of Kapall or by traversing skiers left off Schindlergrat chair. This run is huge with about 1000 M of vertical and many aspects and pitches. Avalanche danger is a high concern on this run and will be prone to slides in spring time as well as winter. This run also finishes in the Happy Valley for an easy ski out to Mattunbahn or Zammermoosbahn to Galzig. Lifts- top of Kappal, Schindlergrat Difficulty-Moderate Vertical- 1000M



 3. Zwischen- This means “between” in German, its between the runs Osthang and Kandahar. This run is a classic warm up for the instructors at the Ski Academy in St. Christoph. The slope gradually steepens until it reaches three narrow gullies that are challenging and require precise short turns and quick feet. At the bottom you will find your self back on piste and you make your way back to Galzigbahn. This run will surely test your short turn technique. Lifts- Galzig Difficulty-Moderate - Difficult Vertical- 800


 4. Schindlerkar Chutes- The options are many off this peak but one of my favorite is the Schindlerkar chutes. You access this by circling left off the chair lift and traversing above the prominent chutes that funnel out to the Stubin side of the peak. These lines are committing and require confidant technique. Easier options are available where the group can reassemble at the exit of the chutes. One of my favorite lunch spots is at the finish of this route. The Ulmer Hutte has the best apple strudel on this side of the mountain. Lifts- Schindlergrat Difficulty- Difficult Vertical- 500


5. Maienvasen- This run starts at the top of the Galzig. This wide open bowl funnels into steeper terrain with skiable ridge lines and sometimes fluted snow drifts. The snow can be excellent, however later in the day as it warms the snow can become tricky and sticky. The exit requires some sidestepping but a path through the woods soon delivers you to an on slope hutte called Senn. As a young ski instructor I would end all my classes here for a refreshment before skiing down to the village. Lifts- Schindlergrat Difficulty- Difficult Vertical- 500


6. Schimmelegg- This slope is the prominent nose off Rendl. After taking the Gampberg lift follow a wide ridge facing north west. This ridge may have wind effected snow and deep wind ribs keep speed down here. Once you are into the open snowfields excellent powder can be had. As you hit the tree line head right toward the bottom of hinter Rendl. You can follow a well tracked path out to the Rendl home run. I have had some of my best NASTC powder runs in St. Anton here. Lifts- Gampberg Difficulty- Moderate Vertical- 1150M


 7. Valluga Nord- The exposed top station of the Valluga can be intimidating with huge exposure on every side. But a safe and often skied decent skirts the back side of the Valluga and rolls into enjoyable slopes that finish in Zurs. This is a guided only tour due to the restrictions on the lift. I usully make this full day tour that will include exploration of Zur’s off piste lines as well as a incredible lunch at the Golden Croix a world famous on hill lunch spot. Lifts- Valluga I, Valluga II Difficulty- Moderate, difficult Vertical- 900M


8. Schongraben- off the top of the Kapall lift Go towards the north east facing slopes. Follow moderate rolling terrain to the bottom of the Schongraben T-bar, either take the T-bar back up for more powder or drop down into narrower gullies that descend into good tree skiing. As you continue down you will cross a tobobban run road and will take that down to Nasserein. Lifts- Kappalbahn Difficulty- Moderate Vertical- 1000M


 9. Langen- The first time I did this run I was blown away at the amount of consistent quality vertical we got. Route finding is a challenge and their exist many avalanche terrain traps. Passing the Kalltenberghutte you descend long moderate slopes into excellent tree skiing. The long runs are a mix of interesting terrain features that end in a sweet smelling pine forest. The snow covered exit road meanders down to the village of Langen where a train can be caught back to St. Anton. Another option back is to catch a taxi to Stuben, have lunch at Hannes Schnider’s haus and ski more off-piste on in Stuben until closing time. I have 10 favorite off-piste runs just in Stuben alone. Lifts- Albonagrat, Sonnleitenlift Difficulty- Moderate Vertical- 1200M


 10. Hinterer Rendl- This northeast facing valley is an adventure playground of off-piste skiing. From top station drop into wide open valley, several routes can be taken depending on your commitment level. The potential of getting cliffed-out is high if you don’t know where you are going. Route finding through the valley is easier with clear skies and good light. This big valley holds a lot of snow and has caught may unsuspecting skiers in slides. The skiing is easy to moderate depending on your line. The exit winds through a forest and contours back out to the Rendl home run. Very FUN! Lifts- Riffelbahn 2 Difficulty- Moderate Vertical- 1350M Endless Possibilities on Albona

 *The ratings I give these runs can change considerably as conditions and weather change. Ski with caution and with Avalanche rescue equipment.


 To see the immenseness of this resort click here for a view from the Valuga. http://www.moving-pictures.de/v5/ugt_st_anton/index.php The lift service is world class and with this interactive map you can see what is open and what is on hold. http://ski.intermaps.com/skiarlberg/skimap.asp?map=ost&lang=en This 3D map will show you how big this place really is. http://ski.intermaps.com/skiarlberg/KMLs/skiarlberg_googleearth_together.asp?zoom=2&lang=en

The Bike Thief...

Excuse me while I kiss this guy!! Excuse me. I will now vent...In a much too hurried world, of my own making I might add, I found myself longing for a few hours off the grid. with out thinking too much about the details involved in going off the grid i spoke up at the dinner table the other night and declared to my unprepared eating family...ROAD TRIP FOR ME AND MOM!!!!!. The children crying and the inner turmoil and feelings of child abandonment that comes from too much time with out a kid break didn't deter me...us a bit. After farming out the 3 kids to several willing families (who we will owe big time), organizing someone to let our dog in at night and out in the morning, booked a cheap Priceline hotel room in Berkeley, my wife Jenny and I were ready for some "personal us time". With van windows down and the music up we were soon cruising on highway 80, what a sight I must have been, head out the window golden retriever style, light hearts and an eye out for adventure we felt free and domestic animal like. The plan was to take a much needed 36 hour sabbatical(from the kids) to see some live music in the city, eat some real ethnic food and ride our Mt. bikes in the east bay hills. Little did we know we were about to become prey in that big city. After a beautiful and balmy late summer evening of eating at an outside cafe, drinking, laughing and feeling the way we did "before kids" we strolled back to our hotel for a romantic soiree. I'll save you the vivid details of what happened next, very personal but really good. As we awoke the next morning we bounded for our locked van that corralled our metal steads or mountain bikes as they are known in the modern world. With a serendipitous swagger I approached the Astro Van a mere 50 yards from the hotel door and I noticed tiny sparkles on the ground, they glittered in the morning sun light, oh how pretty. Then it hit me as I reached for the van door...there is no driver side window, h

ow strange. Then real reality hit, the bikes are GONE! The pit in my stomach made me nauseous. These bikes were like our horses, meant more to us...me than the van. Just a year had passed since I had spent countless hours on Pinkbike, Craigs list, E-bay, MTBR, procuring the best possible rides for us with a limited adult toy budget. Now they were gone, lifted by the bike thief, the night stalker who with an accomplice no doubt, smashed the window with a rock and wrestled our rides out of the van and rode them into the night. I am not a mean spirited person or would never wish harm on anyone, but my first thought was, "I would sell my soul to the devil if it would insure that the rip off artist who stole our bikes was on a single track ride to hell to endure an eternity of truing the devils perpetually un-fixable bike wheels" while rats....never mind, it was a fleeting thought. There is a reason for everything, and it is possible, but not probable that by riding that day we could have encountered personal calamity, far beyond loosing our bikes. I keep saying that to myself, hoping it will wash the hatred of that slime ball off my brain. My therapy now includes more practical activities like filling out an online police report, contacting the insurance company, writing a mean letter to the hotel management and looking for our stolen bikes on the internet. That's where I could use everyone's help. I am posting stock photos of our stolen bikes. If you happen to notice someone who just got a screaming deal on a bike and it looks like one of ours, let me know. I don't even want our bikes back, I just want to make sure they went to a good home. Did you know in the wild west if you stole a mans horse, you could be shot legally? Not that there is any connection to this situation and that one, but I thought it was an interesting factoid. The good news is, Jenny and I get to Demo new bikes and if the insurance deductible doesn't completely wipe out our adult family bike budget, then we can get bikes that will be at least half as good as what we once had. Oh Joy!